It is well known in the healthcare industry that when one is injured, aged or physical impaired, the use of a cane, a crutch or some other similar such walking aid is often required to assist an individual, a patient or incapacitated person in their daily activities. Walking aids which have in the past been designed to assist a user to perform general daily functions beyond the aspect of merely physically supporting the user are also known in the art. Several related prior art references, described below, reveal some type of gripping mechanism, however these aids are cumbersome, awkward or inarticulate and do not adequately meet the needs of a person utilizing such devices. In particular, articles such as coins, buttons, paper or other small difficult to handle objects, which often lie flat or are relatively planar in shape, present significant problems to a person attempting to retrieve such object with the previous unwieldy devices. Such a dilemma presents a tremendous and frustrating problem to a person who cannot retrieve such objects or articles without some help or assistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,985 to Snyder et al. reveals an adjustable length cane with a grasping apparatus adjacent the base of the cane. While this cane reveals the basic concept of grasping an article at the far length of the cane by the use of a grasping arm, the grasping arm is exposed when not in use and has a fixed pivot point and fixed, predetermined grasping motion. In addition, although the cane of Snyder et al. is adjustable, adjustment of the cane shaft and the integral actuating mechanism for the grasping arm must be performed in entirely separate operations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,650 to Kroze discloses an adjustable cane with built in pick-up means. The built in pick-up means of Kroze is a swingably hinged arm which is retractable within the sleeve or bottom shaft of a telescoping cane. Similar to Snyder, Kroze discloses a fixed swingably pivoting grabbing arm rotating in a singular fixed predetermined arc from its retracted position to its engagement position. Kroze's shaft also may be lengthened via a telescoping tubular shaft, however, the use of an elastomer or stretching portion of the actuating cable is utilized. The use of such an elastic actuating cable presents significant problems relating to the control and force with which the pick-up arm is controlled. Due to this type of design, a certain portion of the energy utilized to move the pickup arm will be absorbed by the actuating cable thus decreasing the users control, force and feel with respect to the object.
Another similar pick-up arm is revealed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,800 to Sergi which reveals a multi-purpose cane device, in particular a grabbing arm at the base of a cane. However, this device and many others like it including U.S. Pat. No. 2,836,188 to Jordan again merely reveal a fixed pivoting grabbing arm, which pivot about a single axis in one particular fixed predetermined curve and, in addition, these references do not account for adjustment not only regarding the length of the cane, but in particular, adjusting the control mechanism of the grabbing arm.
The related art reveals a lack of adroitness in the handling of objects as well as the ease of use and adjustment of the length of the walking aid particularly required by individuals, patients or incapacitated persons. Previous gripping or grasping arms or devices display a particular lack of agility in handling small precise articles.